OBB 10s Tournament
13th April 2008: Windsor Rugby hosted the OBB Colts 10s tournament and both Windsor teams got through to the Cup play-offs, the U17s narrowly losing to Bicester Colts 10-7 in the semifinals. However, Windsor U17s did get the scalp of Maidenhead Colts in the group stages. Windsor Colts were depleted with four of their players on a university field trip to Amsterdam! Windsor U17s produced an outstanding performance to reach the semi finals of the Oxon, Bucks and Berks Colts 10s Tournament, hosted at Home Park on Sunday. The U17s had only entered the tournament of 16 teams at the last minute to make up the numbers after a Colts team withdrew and at Colts level which is U19s, they were playing two years above themselves. Consequently, expectations were not high going into the tournament but the U17s confidence grew after they drew 7-7 with Reading in the first pool match.
With the U17s playing as Windsor B, next up were Amersham and Chiltern who quickly found themselves 12-0 down after two tries from Jack Johnson. Amersham reduced the deficit to 12-10 in the second half but then came what was surely the most outstanding try of the day. From a ruck near the touchline Will Crane gained quick ball and lofted a cross field kick to the opposite touchline where James Gillies fielded the ball then stepped inside the final defender to give Windsor B a 17-10 win.
This set up the final pool match against Maidenhead, the Tournament’s number one seeds and runners-up in the OBB Colts Division One. Things didn’t look good when Maidenhead took an early 5-0 lead but the tide began to turn after Jack Pattinson put in a massive hit, perfectly legally, on the Maidenhead number 10. The U17s were up for the challenge and soon afterwards Tim Bascombe charged through to score under the posts. Crane converted for a 7-5 lead. Windsor B were forced to defend for most of the second half but held out for the win to earn top spot in their pool.
In the quarter final the U17s met Stow on the Wold and started disastrously as Stow scored straight from the kick-off. After that though it was one way traffic as a stunning display of quick hands and running rugby saw Windsor run in 5 tries, 3 from Jack Johnson, 1 from up and coming talent Ross O’Connor and 1 from David Tarbox.
Windsor B then faced a mighty Bicester side in the semi final who had put paid to Windsor’s own Colts, playing as Windsor A, in their quarter final. Bicester were clear favourites but they were stunned in the opening stages when James Enright intercepted a Bicester pass and sprinted clear to score a converted try for a 7-0 lead. Despite conceding a try in reply, Windsor B led 7-5 at the interval and suddenly anything looked possible. However, Bicester started the stronger in the second half and took a 10-7 lead. Injuries started to take their toll on Windsor B and they were reduced to their last 10 remaining fit players after Rhys Davies suffered concussion and a broken nose in a determined tackle on the biggest of the Bicester forwards. In the closing moments Jack Robson found Alex Jones who drove the ball on, then offloaded to Jack Pattinson who passed to Jack Johnson on the overlap. It looked as though Johnson would score to win the semi final but he was bundled into touch just short of the line by a try saving Bicester tackle which won the match for them 10-7.
The Cup was won by Chinnor A and the Plate by Reading with the trophies presented by Nils Mordt and Dominc Shabbo of London Irish.
